Great Lakes Cat Furniture

The Popular "Sunflower"

2009-10-16T10:09:00.000-04:00

The Sunflower is proving to be one of our more popular cat trees. It is an extremely attractive piece of furniture that your cat will adapt to in about as long as it takes it to say "meow". The cat tree is compact, colorful, and its unique design allows the tree to fit into a corner. It has all the features of our much larger trees and brings the beauty of the outdoors into your home. Whether climbing, jumping, hiding, exploring, or its more common activity, sleeping, this is the perfect unit for your cat.

The cat tree is only 4 feet 4 inches tall, and 52 inches wide. The trunk is covered in a high grade commercial carpet and provides a scratching post for your cat. The top flower is 28 inches round with a padded center and a thermal liner to retain your cat's heat for added comfort. There are four holes each 9 inches in diameter that lead to the center of the trunk which is 12 inches in diameter. Four sculptured leaves surround the trunk providing layers for climbing or space for "snoozing". Not only does each leaf have our thermal liner, but each is attached to the trunk in such a way as to provide "flex" when the cat jumps onto the leaf making it easier on its joints and back. Older cats will get much more use out of a unit with this feature. The wide round base provides stability and guarantees the cat tree will not tip during normal use. This unique piece of cat furniture will be the focalpoint of activity for your cat, and the center of conversation among your friends.

Order your cat tree today ... you will be sure to have it before the Holidays.

See: www.greatlakescatfurniture.com to place your order, or to see our other product offerings.

Wall Accessories For Your Cat

2009-03-11T15:11:00.006-04:00

Did you ever want to build a whole playground for your cat? If you have some open wall space you can now do that with our wall mount cat trees and our accessory grouping. The cat trees have been added to the website and can be ordered, but the accessories are not there yet. They will hopefully be added withing the next week. There will be four basic accessories: the wall cat shelf, the wall cat bed, the corner cat bed and the corner cat house. Please check back to see the full line of accessories. We have gotten a lot of public input taking prototype to various cat shows and we know this is going to be a very popular product.

"Look What's New!"

2008-11-16T11:44:00.004-05:00

We took several of our Great Lakes Cat Trees to the Livonia MI TICA show this weekend where we participated as a vendor. We introduced a new half tree or wall mount (still working on a good name). This uniquely designed cat furniture will attach easily to your wall, is aesthetically pleasing to the eye, and provides a world of fun and security to your cat.

The new design will be ideal for people living in apartments, or for those of you who have limited floor space and can't fit a large tree.

We were amazed at the enthusiasm and support we got from cat breeders for this new product. Everyone we talked with thought it will be a great success. I don't have the half tree on the website yet, still working on verbiage for the descriptions and production is working on packaging so we can ship it at the lowest possible cost. Hope to have it up and available in the next two weeks. Keep an eye on this blog or the website for information as to when the new wall mount will be available.

www.greatlakescatfurniture.com

Where You Will Find Our Cat Furniture

2008-11-09T12:34:00.004-05:00

Many people ask where they can see our cat furniture first hand. Unfortunately we don't have a retail distribution network and once we get beyond Western Michigan the only place to "touch and feel" our product is at the cat shows we participate in. Here is the planned schedule for cat show participation. If you live in the area, or can conveniently travel to the show, we would love to see you.

November 15 - 16, 2008
TICA - Glass CITICAts
Radisson Hotel
17123 N Laurel Park Dr
Livonia, MI
November 21 - 23, 2008
CFA International Cat Show
Georgia International Convention Center
Atlanta, GA
November 29 - 30, 2008
CFA Chicago Short Hair
DePage County Fairgrounds
Wheaton, IL
January 10 - 11, 2009
CFA - Lucas County Rec Center
Maumee, OH
January 24 - 25, 2009
CFA - Midwest Persian Tabby Fanciers
Allen Park Community Center
Allen Park, MI

Don't forget, you can see all our cat furniture on our website:

www.greatlakespetfurniture.com

Our Cat Trees are Environmentally Safe

2008-11-05T09:22:00.006-05:00

Recently we had a customer ask if there is any danger to their cat from gasses or toxins given off by the carpet we use on our cat trees. To my knowledge its the first time we have been asked that, and rather than just give a quick "sales answer" I decided to do some research and learn something about "outgassing". We do use only quality carpet from such manufacturers as Shaw and Mohawk, and that actually made it a little easier to get some answers. I contacted the customer service department of both companies and they were very happy to answer my questions. Basically both reported the same information: At the time carpet is made there can be barely traceable amounts of gas or toxin left in the product. The carpet is rolled, shrink wrapped and sent to a dealer. Those unwanted trace elements remain in that roll until the carpet is unrolled for display or installation. Once that roll has been opened and exposed to the environment any traceable gas or toxin is 100% dissipated within 72 hours. Our cat tree manufacturing process has the carpet we're using exposed to the air a lot longer than 72 hours before that cat tree is even shipped. So, by the time our product gets to your home there is absolutely no possible warm that can be done to your pet or your family.

As a sidebar, I did learn that modern carpet manufacturing methods call for the use of agricultural products, such as corn, instead of petroleum based products. This new method doesn't leave any trace of gas or toxins in the finished product and is 100% safe.

One more reason to check out our "safe", "environmentally friendly" cat furniture.

www.greatlakescatfurniture.com

Artsy Catsy Gallery - Unique Gifts

2008-11-04T09:16:00.000-05:00

Here is a spot were you can find one-of-a-kind artistic creations for pet lovers. Not only is it a very unique blog, they must be commended for donating part of the proceeds to organizations that help cats in need; also to individual cats needing help with vet expenses.

If you are looking for a unique Christmas gift for that hard to buy for cat lover, take a look here where you will find cat jewelry and some great ideas for a stocking stuffer. I particularly liked their humorous cards. If you decide to buy, know you will be supporting a worthwhile cause.

www.artsycatsygallery.blogspot.com

October Newsletter

2008-11-03T09:20:00.000-05:00

Our October Newsletter has been published. This month we feature The Black-Eyed-Susan cat tree which is designed to fit closer to a wall, or in front of a window better than most of our larger product offering because of the way the leaves are positioned on the trunk. All of the same great features are included in this cat tree that cats and cat lovers have come to expect from us.

We have an article on how the economic hard times are putting a strain on animal shelters and discuss what you can do to save money and at the same time provide a high level of care for your cat.

Is your cat showing signs of depression? How would you recognize if your cat is depressed and what can you do to prevent more serious problems that can result from not treating a depressed cat.

And finally ... Cody has to have the last word. We're sure you have always wanted to know what a "clowder" was, or what are the most unusual cat names today, or perhaps what's the life expectancy of an indoor cat. You will find answers to these pressing questions in Cody's Corner.

Click on this link to display our most recent newsletter - be sure to sign up so you can get your personal copy when we publish.

October Newsletter

Treating Depression in your Cat

2008-10-30T11:47:00.000-04:00

How to help your cat if it suffers from depression.
Best way of course is to avoid it - and how do you do that?

Routine vet exams - can prevent depression caused by medical condition
Keep to a daily schedule - meals, quality play time, grooming sessions all at the same time each day
Provide stress relievers such as scratching posts, cat trees, perches, toys, etc
Always keep a clean litter box
Establish a quiet safe place for your cat to be alone
Regular interactive playtime for 20 minutes twice a day
Be an immediate peace keeper if there is conflict between pets

You have tried them all, and nothing seems to help, so now what?
You may have to engage the help of an animal behavior counselor to work with you and your cat to find the root cause of the problem and come up with suggestions to help the situation. The last resort would be working with your vet and putting your cat on some type of antidepressant medication.

Most depression can be totally avoided but it means you must have a behavioral baseline to compare your cat to what is 'normal' for it. Then once you see subtle changes you can modify behavior or the situation to prevent your cat from becoming depressed.

If you think a new cat tree is a possible solution be sure to take a look at our many stress relievers.

Cat Depression Busters

Cat Depression

2008-10-28T09:27:00.005-04:00

Is your cat suffering from depression? Many people don't realize that cats' can become depressed just like their owner, and for many of the same reasons. The worse thing you can do is to ignore it, hoping it will go away and the cat will return to its normal obnoxious self. Sometimes its very difficult to recognize depression in your pet because some of the tell-tale signs are so subtle that if you are not conscious of and looking for, you will miss them. Here is a quick list of cat behavior that may be an indication your pet is suffering from depression:

Constant meowing
Neediness
Change in grooming habits
Increased sleeping
Overeating
Change in playing habits - may be disinterested
Signs of aggression (biting, scratching or hissing)
Not using the litter box
Hair loss
Spots of different color in the fur

If you notice some of these changes in your cat the first course of action is to make a vet appointment to rule out a medical cause. Once that has been done you should follow the advice of your vet to bring your cat out of its depression.

For more information on cat depression go to our website and sign up for our newsletter.

www.greatlakescatfurniture.com

Trick-or-Treat

2008-10-15T17:30:00.001-04:00

You can have a new cat tree for your favorite side-kick before Holloween if you order within the next few days. We choose only the finest materials and raise the standard of workmanship by handcrafting our trees so that you will never find a ghoul or a goblin in one of our trees that will give you a problem after you get it home.

Take a look at the many options you can choose from by clicking on the link below.

Great Lakes Cat Furniture

More Product Features

2008-10-14T19:43:00.003-04:00

In our last post we mentioned some of the product features included in our cat trees. Here are a couple more for your consideration:
4. An extra wide base - added to our cat trees to provide greater stability and prevents tipping under normal use.
5. Modular design - allows you to replace any piece of the cat tree without replacing the entire tree. This is of great value because it extends the use of the tree.
6. We offer a wide array of shapes and sizes to choose from providing you with a piece of quality cat furniture this is both affordable and functional.

Check out all the details on our website:

www.greatlakescatfurniture.com

Quality Cat Furniture

2008-10-14T19:35:00.002-04:00

The craftsmen of Great Lakes Pet Furniture have over 40 years experience designing and building cat trees. Our cat tree product has evolved into the 'top choice' of cats and cat lovers everywhere. many features are built into our product, including:
1. Molded Leaves - that are designed to "flex" which cushions the landing and prevents excessive wear and tear on joints, especially for older cats, when they jump onto the tree.
2. Commercial or high grade carpeting - is used throughout the cat tree, including the lining inside the holes in the trunk.
3. All beds and large leaves have a 'thermal' lining that retains the cats' body heat providing greater comfort.

To see more product features go to our website:

www.greatlakescatfurniture.com

Color Choice For Your Cat Tree

2008-10-03T10:39:00.005-04:00

We have had a number of inquiries lately as to whether or not we allow a change in carpet color on our cat trees. The answer is yes. If you want a different color on any of our cat trees you can choose from any color we are currently using. We do charge a $25.00 set up fee to do that, but that's pretty inexpensive to get something you're going to like better. If by chance you select carpet for color and we don't feel the quality would hold up under normal wear and tear for the part of the cat tree you want it on, we will notify you and give you our reasons so that you can make an informed decision. We do this because your satisfaction is more important to us than making a sale.

Remember that only the POD and the Spider are cat trees that ship as an assembled unit. All other trees are assembled in a way that the parts can be replaced without the need to replace the entire tree. If Fido chews on a leaf, you can replace just the leaf and don't have to discard the tree. Both the tops and the bases are also easily replaced.

Please take a look at our entire product offering by clicking on the link below:

Great Lakes Cat Furniture

Confused About Cat Trees?

2008-09-30T14:37:00.002-04:00

Let us take the "puzzle" out of selecting a cat tree.
The craftsmen at Great Lakes Cat Furniture have over 40 years combined experience building quality cat trees that have been the "top choice" of cats and cat lovers everywhere. Our success is due to the fact that our cat trees are engineered and hand constructed of only the highest quality materials providing years of trouble free use. Our cat tree products come in a variety of types and sizes to ensure you finding that special piece of cat furniture for the most finicky cat or hard to fit area of your home. We offer a wide selection of colors so that you can select a unit and choose your colors to harmonize with the surrounding area. Our goal is to provide an affordable and functional piece of cat furniture that will give you and your cat years of pleasure and security.

The value of our product is greater than its price.

To see all our product offering visit the website below:

www.greatlakescatfurniture.com

"Chipping" - a Permanent ID

2008-09-29T11:30:00.004-04:00

Thousands of animals are lost every year because the people who find them have no way of reuniting the animal with its rightful owner. This problem could all but be eliminated if owners would simply "chip" their pets. The term "chip" is slang for microchip. A microchip is a small piece of material that allows for a unique identification number to be encrypted on it and read by electronic scanners. The chip is no bigger than a grain of rice and is inserted under the cats skin between the shoulder blades. Its no more discomforting than a vaccination

If you would like to learn more about "chipping", please read the article we have in our current newsletter.

Current Newsletter

September Newsletter

2008-09-23T17:09:00.004-04:00

We have just published our September newsletter. This month we are featuring the Little Oak cat tree, the advantage of a permanent ID for your cat, Q&A regarding spaying and neutering, and a regular inclusion called Cody's Corner. If you are not on our distribution list to receive your copy of the monthly newsletter, open our website and register. Do it now before you forget.

www.greatlakescatfurniture.com

A Will or Trust to Protect your cat?

2008-09-17T10:45:00.004-04:00

The Cat Channel recently published an article about protecting your cat(s) after the death of the owner. Death not only affects family and friends, it also affects our cat(s). You have to plan ahead if you want a "say" in what will happen to your pet(s) rather than leaving that decision up to an executor who may not feel the same about your pet as you do. Careful planning is the best way to protect your cat, and this article contains a checklist that will help you develop a plan best for you and your cat.

Planning Ahead

Cat Food Safety

2008-08-22T10:13:00.005-04:00

The Food and Drug Administration warns us that improper storing and serving of cat food can result in food-borne illnesses. Here are a few very simple steps that you as a responsible pet owner can follow to lessen the chance your cat will come in contact with something that is not good for it.

Store all food according to the manufacturers recommendation
Promptly discard or refrigerate any leftover wet food
Buy only products in packaging that is in good condition
Serve only the amount of food you cat will eat in a reasonable amount of time
Wash your hands before handling pet food so you don't contaminate the food
And, its a good idea to wash any bowls, dishes or utensils after their use

There is a lot of information on the internet concerning pet food safety, but one of the best sites we have found is at: Cat Food Safety

Providing our cat with the opportunity to exercise is another way to maintain or improve health. Sometimes because of scheduling, commitments and other influences, our best laid plans take a left turn. A cat tree, large enough for your cat to climb, may be the solution to get your pet "moving" and reap some of the benefits of exercise. Take a look at the products on our website - we offer good variety and all our cat trees are value priced.

Cat Tree Furniture

2008-08-20T16:02:00.004-04:00

Looking for some new cat related reading material before the end of summer?
We have compiled a list of some of the more popular books on various cat subjects and you can save time simply by clicking on this link - New Read

Does your fur ball with the mashed potato spread need a little exercise?
You may want to consider a new cat tree. We have several different pieces of cat furniture in various colors and sizes. Great Lakes Cat Furniture is preferred by more cats than any other cat furniture.

The New Jersey Fat Cat

2008-08-04T15:39:00.004-04:00

Did you hear about the 44 pound cat in New Jersey that's been making the national news lately? Poor thing is only two pounds short of the record weight for a cat. We all know that extra weight on a cat can be very harmful to its health and a real strain on your wallet.

There is an article on the internet by Kim Boatman, who is a journalist in Northern California, that talks about The Seven Signs Your Cat's Eating Right. One of the signs concerns the optimum weight for your cat. If you think your pet has a weight problem this article certainly is worth taking a look at, just click on the link of the title.

Another way to help your cat maintain its slim, trim, physique of a young healthy cat is to make sure it gets plenty of exercise. A good way to do that is to provide your cat with a cat tree large enough to allow the cat to be in continuous motion while it is playing on the tree or running up and down the tree. We pride ourselves in building trees that will afford your cat the opportunity to get plenty of exercise. Take a look at our complete product offering at:

www.greatlakescatfurniture.com

Delivery for Christmas

2008-07-30T11:03:00.002-04:00

It's hard to think about Christmas in July. The way time flies however, it will be here before we know it. We just want to remind you that you have the eLayaway payment option when you order our cat furniture. eLayaway works the same as layaway in a department store. You order your cat tree of choice - select eLayaway as the form of payment - make convenient monthly payments according to your selections, and the tree is shipped to you after your final payment is made.

There is a 1.9% transaction fee charged by eLayaway - but that sure beats the 18 plus percent charged by most credit card companies. With credit card as form of payment you receive the product you ordered and you continue to pay for it for several months after. With eLayaway the payments are made before receiving the product, so when you get your new cat tree there are no additional payments that have to be made.

If you would like to have a new cat tree for Christmas but simply don't have the extra means to buy it at this time, consider the eLayaway option. If you order your tree today and make eLayaway your form of payment option, it could be fully paid for and delivered before Christmas. When was the last time you could say your Christmas presents were paid for before Christmas.

You can check it all out at:

Great Lakes Cat Furniture

Top Reasons to See the Vet

2008-07-22T16:10:00.005-04:00

Have you ever wondered why cat owners take their pets' to the vet? Veterinary Pet Insurance, the oldest and largest pet insurance company in America, answers that question. The top ten reasons cats visit the vet are:

1. Urinary tract infection
2. Gastritis/vomiting
3. Chronic renal failure
4. Enteritis/diarrhea
5. Diabetes mellitus
6. Skin allergy
7. Colitis/constipation
8. Ear infection
9. Respiratory infection
10. Hyperthyroidism

It's true that as our pets age medical problems usually increase but it was pointed out by the insurance company that any of these ten reasons can occur at any age. Another interesting fact was the average cost of a vet visit for non-routine medical problems. $500.00 per pet was the most expensive and that occurs in California. New Jersey cat owners pay an average $437.00 per pet, and Mississippi had the lowest cost per pet for a non-routine visit at $207.00. You can find additional information and more data at petinsurance.com

It's estimated that less than one percent of pet owners in the U.S. have pet insurance. How can you afford not to have it? With the sky-rocketing cost of everything from bread, to gasoline, and now to vet bills, pet insurance is the only way you can assure your pet will continue to receive the necessary veterinarian care at a time when everyone wants a little more of what's left in your wallet.

We have provided a lot of information recently in some of our newsletters where we discussed reasons why you should have insurance for your pet, and provided many links so you could do some comparative shopping to get the best price for insurance. If you are not a regular subscriber to our newsletter I strongly urge you to visit our website and sign up to receive your monthly issue. You can also find all our back-dated issues of the Newsletter on the site so you can get a full update on the insurance issue.

Great Lakes Cat Furniture

New Pictures in Photo Gallery

2008-07-16T11:16:00.005-04:00

We have just added several new pictures to the photo gallery on the website. These pictures show our customers' cats enjoying our uniquely made cat furniture. Our wide choice of size and color options assures you of finding the right cat tree for the space and decor of your room.

Our full product line can be seen on the website:

www.greatlakescatfurniture.com

If you have any special request for design or color combination please email us for we would be happy to see if we can't accommodate the request.

Latest Newsletter Available

2008-07-10T12:12:00.005-04:00

The June issue of our newsletter has been archived and is now available by clicking the link below. In this issue we feature the new "Little Jack" which is a smaller version of the Jack-n-Beanstalk cat tree and made to fit in smaller spaces like an apartment or small room. We mention two more companies offering pet insurance because it is becoming more important to have it so you can control cost of cat health care. We all know that a sick cat is an expensive cat, and one of the biggest benefits to a good pet insurance policy is preventative care. The newsletter also includes tips on protecting your cat from Summer's Heat. Now that we are into July and August you need to be aware of how excessive heat affects your cat and what can be done to keep it comfortable - kitty will thank you. And then lastly, Cody offers some suggestions on what you can do to be prepared in the event of a natural disaster. Hope you enjoy.

June Newsletter

Request for Information - Litter Cabinets

2008-06-13T14:18:00.006-04:00

I need input from people who have litter cabinets as to how you helped your cat adjust to a new litter box. Did you introduce the litter cabinet to a kitten so as it was getting use to a new environment the cabinet was just part of the process? Or did you bring a litter cabinet into your home where a mature cat lived, and if so, did you have any special adjustment problems to overcome? Do you have any tips you could share as to how to make the adjustment for your cat easier.

Your input would be greatly appreciated. Please add comments to this blog. Thank you.